Oasis Reignites Britpop Glory at Soldier Field in Triumphant Chicago Return

Aug 29, 2025 admin_bitlc Features, Music News, Reviews 0

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By Harrison Kristoff

For one night in late summer, Soldier Field didn’t feel like Chicago—it felt like Manchester circa 1996. On a Thursday night in late August 2025, Oasis stormed into town and delivered a triumphant return that lived up to nearly fifteen years of anticipation. What unfolded was more than a concert; it was a cultural revival, a reminder of why the Gallagher brothers’ legacy still looms so large. So much so that pop up retail stores appeared around town days before the concert even started and plan to be here after they leave. And yes, there has been a line down the block to get that merch. Plus fan sightings of the band around town including Noel hanging out at a Chicago guitar staple, Chicago Music Exchange.

The air outside the stadium was electric long before the first chord was struck. Fans in vintage Oasis tees and bucket hats poured in by the tens of thousands, buzzing about the band’s first full-scale U.S. tour since reuniting earlier this year. The tension was thick: would Liam and Noel still have that volatile magic that made them both icons and infamously combustible? The answer was a resounding yes as the 60,000 plus audience proved.

As dusk fell, the stadium was bathed in a wash of blue and gold lights while the massive stage screens flickered with static and grainy footage of the band’s 90’s heyday. When the opening riff of “Rockin’ in the Free Wold” ripped through the PA speakers and Soldier Field erupted. What we saw was something many thought never possible again, brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher walking out arm while “Fuckin’ in the Bushes” track played, arm ready to play together again as Oasis. Liam, wearing what has become the Mod fashion statement of the Britpop generation, donned a hooded parka and swagger like a frontman who owns the world, leaned into the mic with his trademark stance and deadpan sneer. Noel stood a few feet back, guitar slung low, delivering every note with the calm precision of a general surveying his battlefield. The band all clad in dark clothes seemed to blend into the stage.

The setlist was a dream for lifelong fans. Early anthems like “Supersonic” and “Cigarettes & Alcohol” roared with raw energy, while the sweeping ballads “Champagne Supernova” and “Don’t Look Back in Anger” turned the stadium into a 60,000-person choir. Occasionally, Liam called out to the crowd asking for reactions but his Manchester cockney accent and echoey stadium walls didn’t quite land as many of those calls went unanswered or left many confused and just cheered back.

The brothers’ famously icy relationship added an undeniable tension to the performance. They didn’t speak directly to each other, but the music did the talking. When Noel launched into “Live Forever,” Liam belted it like it was the last song he’d ever sing, his voice weathered yet still powerful. The dynamic was exactly what Oasis fans came for: friction, fire, and brilliance.

Stage production was grand without ever feeling gaudy. Massive LED panels displayed kaleidoscopic visuals, the band’s iconic logo, and archival imagery of 90s Britain, Union Jacks, crowded pubs, the swagger of a generation. At one point, the stage was drenched in red lights while Liam snarled through “Morning Glory,” a reminder that Oasis weren’t just about nostalgia; they were still dangerous.

The encore sealed the night. Liam returned in a parka despite the humid Chicago air, smirking as the first chords of “The Masterplan” rang out and band introductions were made. The last few songs were the classics that made Oasis what they were and still are following ‘The Masterplan’ with “Don’t Look Back In Anger” and the anthemic “Wonderwall“. It was inevitable, yes, but no less powerful as tens of thousands of voices carried the songs skyward, echoing against the stadium walls and out over the lakefront. In one of the night’s most emotional moments the ended with “Champagne Supernova” as fireworks shimmered over Lake Michigan, and the crowd sang half the chorus back. It stretched out into a swirling, psychedelic jam that left the crowd awestruck.

By the time the house lights came on, it was clear: Oasis had conquered Chicago, and perhaps themselves. The Soldier Field show wasn’t just a concert, it was vindication, the Gallagher brothers proving that despite years of bitterness and breakups, Oasis remains one of the most important rock bands of the last thirty years.

On August 28th, 2025, Oasis didn’t just play a show in Chicago. They reminded the world why they mattered and why they still do. Oasis Live 2025.

For more on Oasis, click here

Setlist: Oasis – Chicago – Soldier Field – August 28, 2025

1. Hello
2. Acquiesce
3. Morning Glory
4. Some Might Say
5. Bring It On Down
6. Cigarettes & Alcohol
7. Fade Away
8. Supersonic
9. Roll With It
10. Talk Tonight
11. Half The World Away
12. Little By Little
13. D’You Know What I Mean?
14. Stand By Me
15. Cast No Shadow
16. Slide Away
17. Whatever
18. Live Forever
19. Rock n Roll Star

Encore:

20. The Masterplan

21. Don’t Look Back In Anger

22. Wonderwall

23. Champagne Supernova

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• 2025, Britpop, Liam Gallagher, Noel Gallagher, North America Tour, Oasis, Oasis Live 2025, Reunion, Sold Out, Soldier Field

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